Power transmission



Jan. 10, 1961 v GARDNER 2,967,488

POWER TRANSMISSION Filed Feb. 7, 1957 INVENTQR. DUNCAN B. GARDI N ER kWh ATTORNEYS Siflt$ patnt Patented Jan. 10, .1961

POWER TRANSMISSION Duncan B. Gardiner, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Vickers Incorporated, Detroit, Micln, a corporation of Michigan Filed Feb. 7, 1957, Ser. No. 638,778

13 Claims. (Cl.'103-136) This invention relates to power transmissions, and is particularly applicable to those of the type comprising two or more fluid pressure energy translating devices, one of which may function as a pump and another as a fluid motor.

More particularly the invention relates to afluid energy translating device of the sliding vane type capable of functioning as a pump or as a motor.

Such devices generally comprise a stator including a vane cam track within which is rotatably mounted a rotor carrying radially sliding vanes to form fluid inlet and fluid outlet working zones located between the periphery of the rotor and the vane track, either of whichmay be a low or a high pressure working zone dependent upon the pump or motor function of the device. In such devices the vanes as followers are adapted to follow the cam track and to provide proper sealing between inlet and outlet porting correlated with the fluid inlet and fluid outlet zones. Thus, it is essential for efiicient operation that the vanes be completely extended outwardly and that the outer edges of the vanes be maintained in engagement with the track during the complete rotary cycle of the device.

During operation of such a device, the vanes are urged outwardly by centrifugal force and inwardly by mechanical cam action of the track. However, there are many conditions existing and forces created tending to prevent the vanes acting as free followers and also causing the vanes to collapse, or retract, from the vane track, such as both mechanical and viscous :friction, bearing loads of the vanes against the track or between the vane and rotor, and differential pressures creating unfavorable resultant forces acting on the extreme inner and outer end areas of the vanes.

Several schemes have been utilized to alleviate and counteract these conditions and forces, the most common of which utilize the transmission of pressure, either continuously or intermittently, to the extreme inner ends or undersides of the vanes. In the continuous pressure scheme, operating pressure is conducted to the undersides of the vanes during the complete rotary cycle and because the vanes are completely unbalanced during the low pressure phase of the cycle, an excessive wear rate between the vanes and cam track is incurred under extremely high pressure operating conditions.

In the intermittent pressure scheme, pressure is transmitted to the undersides of the vanes only during the high pressure phase of the rotary cycle in an attempt to completely balance the pressures on opposite ends of the vanes during the complete rotary cycle of the device. However, when the vanes are completely balanced by the intermittent pressure scheme recited, centrifugal force alone must be depended upon to move the vanes completely outward in engagement with the track and as a result the outward movement of the vanes is not complete, or delayed, and the efliciency of operation is ime paired.

In summary, .by following theprior art teachings, one

body 14 and end cover 16.

could build a vane pump or motor having excellent wear characteristics (intermittent undervane pressure) or excellent efiiciency (continuous undervane pressure) but these properties were, to a great extent, inversely related.

It is therefore, an object of this invention to provide an improved, low cost, eflicient and long wearing fluid pressure energy translating device of the sliding vane type.

More specifically it is an object of this invention to provide such'a device having an improved vane biasing arrangement in which wear between the track and vanes .is minimized and efiiciency is increased.

It is another object of this invention to provide such a device having an improved vane biasing arrangement which insures complete extension of the vanes and maintenance of the same in engagement with the vane track without an excessive wear rate and also prevents vane collapse from the track during the high pressure phase of the cycle.

It is still another object of this invention to provide such a device having all of the advantages previously recited without increasing the over-all dimensions of devices currently in production and without appreciably increasing the cost of such units.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a longitudinal, sectional view of a device embodying the present invention and taken on line 1-1 of Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged partial sectional view of the vanes and porting arrangement associated therewith shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a partial sectional view taken on line 44 of Figure 3.

Referring now to Figure 1 there is shown a rotary, sliding vane device or pump, indicated generally by the .numeral 10, the housing of which comprises a vane cam track section 12 sandwiched between a body member 14 and an end cover 16, all of which are secured to each other by bolts 18 extending through cover 16 and cam section 12 into threaded holes in body 14. The body section 14 is provided with an inlet supply connection port 20 having an inlet. passage 22 leading therefrom which has two branches 24 and 26 respectively terminating in a pair of fluid port openings 28 and 30 which are shown in hidden lines in Figure 2.

An outlet connection port 32 is provided in the end cover 16 which is directly connected to a pressure delivery chamber 34 formed in an enlarged bore 36 of the end cover 16 when a pressure plate 38 is floatably mounted in the bore 36. The pressure plate 38 is urged rightwardly by outlet pressure in the chamber 34 so that the outer portion of a plane side surface thereof and indicated by the numeral 40, is maintained in engagement against an opposing mating surface of the cam ring 12 and so that the remainder of said surface 40 is maintained in fluid sealing engagement with the immediately adjoining surface of a rotor 42 and vanes carried thereby within the cam section 12. Spring 43 initially biases the pressure 7 plate 38 toward the rotor until pressure builds up in the pressure chamber.

The rotor 42 is rotatably mounted within the cam section 12 on the splined end 44 of a shaft 46 which is rotatably mounted within bearings 48 and 50 mounted within the body section 14. The shaft 46 is provided with a seal 52 while O-ring seals 53 and 54 prevent leakage at the juncture of the cam ring section 12 withithe The contour of the inner surface of the cam section 12 forms a vane track substantially elliptical in shape indicated by the numeral 56 which together with the periphery of the rotor and the adjoining surfaces of the body and pressure plate define two opposed working chambers indicated by the numerals 58 and 60, each of which, for the purposes of convenience, may be divided into fluid inlet and fluid outlet zones and which forms a sliding vane device of the double throw type. The fluid inlet zones comprise those portions of the working chambers 58 and 60 respectively registering with the fluid inlet port openings 28 and 30 of the inlet passages 24 and 26.

The fluid delivery zones comprise those portions of the working chambers 58 and 60 registering respectively with opposed arcuately shaped fluid delivery port openings 62 and 64 (shown in dot-dash lines in Figure 2 to indicate positional relationship) which are recessed in the surface 40 of the pressure plate 38 and which are directly connected to the pressure chamber 34 by means of duplicate passages 66 leading therefrom, one of which is shown in Figure 1.

The pumping device so far described is of the well known structure disclosed in the patent to Gardiner, No. 2,544,988. It has been the practice in devices of the Gardiner type to provide the rotor with a plurality of radial slots, each of which has a vane slidably mounted therein, the outer ends of which are adapted to engage the elliptically shaped vane track. In such devices pressure is continuously transmitted from the high pressure outlet side of the device to the enlarged chambers at the inner ends of the vanes to completely extend the vanes and to insure track engagement by the vanes.

The vane track of the present device is similar to that in the Gardiner device as including an inlet zone ramp extending from a to b, a true are portion extending from 11" to c, a delivery zone ramp extending from c to d and another true arc portion extending from d" to e. The track is symmetrical about each of its major and minor axes, thus each of the ramp and true arc portions from a to e are duplicated in the remaining opposed portion of the track. As the ends of vanes 68 carried by the rotor traverse the inlet ramps, the vanes move radially outward with respect to the rotor, and while the vane ends traverse the delivery ramps, the vanes move radially inward. In the true arc portions, the vanes partake of no radial movement.

In the present invention device, the radial slots in the rotor are indicated by the numeral 70 and the enlarged pressure chambers at the inner end of each slot by the numeral 72. The spacing between each pair of vanes is adapted to span the distance between each pair of ports in a manner to provide proper sealing between the inlet and outlet porting connected to the working chambers of the device. At this point the present invention device departs from the containuous outlet pressure scheme utilized in devices of the Gardiner type by the provision of a plurality of angular passages 74, one for each slot, which lead from the periphery of the rotor to the inner enlarged chambers 72 of the vane slots. The passages 74 are adapted to transmit to the vane slot pressure chambers 72 and thus to the inner surfaces of the vanes indicated by the numeral 75, the cyclically changing pressure which is exerted on the outer edges 76 of the vanes 68 as they traverse the inlet and outlet ramps of the vane track. The present invention device also departs at this point from conventional vane pressure balancing schemes by the provision of a reaction member for each vane indicated by the numeral 78 which together with a correlated porting arrangement provides a controlled unbalance on the suction stroke or inlet phase of the device which insures complete extension of the vanes and also maintenance of the outer edges of the vanes in contact with the vane track through the complete rotary cycle of the device.

Referring now to the several figures, the vanes 68 of the present invention device only differ from the fiat sided, substantially rectangular vanes of conventional devices by having a rectangular milled out section extending from the inner end of the vane to substantially the mid-section thereof, which is indicated by the numeral 80, and the side walls of which are indicated by the numeral 82. Each vane reaction member 78 comprises a flat sided blade substantially equal in width and thickness to that of the milled out section 80 of the vane so as to have a sliding telescoping fit within the side walls 82 of the vane and the side walls of each vane slot as indicated in Figure 2 by the numeral 84. Each vane 68 also includes an oval shaped expansible pressure chamber 86 defined by the side walls of the vane slot and the extended cutaway portion of the vane and in which is exposed a pressure responsive outer end surface 88 of the reaction member 78. The inner end 90 of each reaction member 78 extends from the inner end of the vane into the pressure chamber 72 of the vane slot. Pressure from the outlet side of the device continuously transmitted to the reaction member pressure chambers 86 acts against the outer exposed surface 88 of each reaction member within each of said chambers to urge the reaction members 78 to the position recited, wherein the tapered inner end 90 thereof is bottomed against an inner surface 92 of the vane slot pressure chambers 72.

With the reaction members 78 slidably mounted between the confining side walls of the vane slots and the milled out sections of the vanes, a pressure responsive surface opposing the pressure responsive surface 38 of the reaction members 78 is formed on each vane, indicated by the numeral 93, comprising a portion of the upper surface, as viewed in Figure 4, of the reaction member pressure chambers 36. The effective area of the surface 93 is equal to the projected area of the pressure responsive surface 88 of the reaction member 78.

For the purpose of connecting the high pressure outlet side of the device to the reaction member pressure chambers 86, the pressure plate 38 is provided with a plurality of passages 94, one of which is shown in Figure l, which extend from the pressure chamber side of the plate through said plate to a circular pressure groove 96 recessed in the plane surface 40 of the plate immediately adjacent the rotor. A mirror image 98 of this pressure groove may be constructed in a plane surface 100 of the body section 14 on the opposite side of the rotor. The pressure grooves 96 and 98 register with the opposite ends of a plurality of drilled holes 102 arranged in circular formation in the rotor. The drilled holes 102 extend completely through the rotor individually intersecting the vane slots 70 while also communicating with the reaction member pressure chambers 86.

In operation, with a prime mover, not shown, connected to the shaft 46 for turning the rotor 42 clockwise as viewed in Figure 2 and the inlet port 20 connected to a source of fluid supply, fluid is conducted to the inlet port openings 28 and 30 adjacent the inlet ramp portion of the vane track by means of passage 22 and branch passages 24 and 26. As the vanes traverse the inlet ramps of the vane track, fluid is withdrawn through the inlet port openings 28 and 30 into the intervane spaces and carried to the outlet Ports 62 and 64 from whence it is discharged through the outlet port 32 by the medium of the pressure plate outlet ports 62 and 64, the pressure plate outlet passages 66, and the pressure chamber 34 which is directly connected to the outlet port 32.

As the outer ends of the vanes pass through the inlet zones of the working chambers of the device, the pressure existent in said zones, which is imposed on the outer edges 76 of the vanes, will also be transmitted to the inner surfaces 75 of the vanes by the medium of the angular vane slot passages 74 extending from the periphery of the rotor to the vane slot pressure chambers 72.

A controlled vane pressure unbalance for aiding centrifugal force in rapidly and completely extending the vanes and maintaining the outer edges thereof in engagement with the vane track is provided by the transmission of pressure from the pressure chamber on the outlet side of the device to the reaction member pressure chambers 36, through the medium of pressure plate passages ,94 and groove 96 and the rotor passages 102. The outer surfaces 88 of the reaction members are exposed to pressure within the chambers 86 and the reaction members 78 are urged to a bottoming position with their inner ends 90 engaging the inner surfaces 92 of the vane slot pressure chambers 72.

The resultant force on each reaction member tending to bottom the same is equal to the magnitude of the outlet pressure in the reaction member pressure chamber times the area of the reaction member outer surface 88. As it is axiomatic that the fluid pressure transmitted to said chambers is transmitted equally in all directions and thus, as to the resultant force imposed on each reaction member there must be an equal resultant force created in opposition to the same, there is thereby created a total resultant force on each vane acting in a direction opposite tothat which is imposed on the reaction member. This resultant opposite force on each vane, as viewed in Figure .4 and projected form the reaction member, is imposed on the surface 93 of the vane which forms a portion of the wall surface of the pressure chamber 86.

It can be clearly seen that the connection of the outlet side of the device to the reaction member pressure chambers produces a resultant outward force on the vanes which not only aids centrifugal force in completely extending the same but produces a continuous, controlled force in favor of maintaining the outer edges 76 of the vanes 68 in contact with the vane track 56. The size of each reaction member relative to the vane -is preselected 'tenance of the outer edges of the vanes in engagement with the vane track.

As the rotor continues to turn and the vanes pass through the true are sections of the track, they will partake of no radial movement.

As the vanes traverse the outlet ramps of the vane track and the outer portions thereof pass through the outlet Working zones of the device, they are retracted by the cam contour of the vane track. During this operating phase of the device, the resultant inward and outward forces on the vanes are substantially balanced. The same pressure existent in the outlet working zones .of the device and imposed on the outer edges 76 of the vanes 68 is transmitted to the innermost areas 75 of the vanes through the medium of the angular vane slot passages 74. The area of each vane taken up by the reaction member is cancelled by the area 93 of the vane and to which pressure is conducted from the discharge side of the device as previously recited. As the resultant forces on the extreme inner and outer ends of the reaction members are the same, the vanes are thus substantially balanced during the discharge phase of the device.

It will thus be seen that the present invention has provided a rotary fluid energy device of the sliding vane type in which controlled forces are created for aiding centrifugal force in extending the vanes and for maintaining the outer edges of the vanes in engagement with the vane track. This is accomplished by providing a reaction member for each vane correlated with porting for continuously connecting the high pressure side of the device to a reaction member pressure chamber for each vane, within which is exposed a pressure responsive surface area of the reaction member and opposed thereto a pressure responsive surface area of the vane. For every resultant force urging each reaction member to a bottoming position within its vane slot, there'is created a resultant reaction force on the vane in the opposite direction which aids in extending the vane and maintaining the vane in engagement with the vane track.

The deficiencies of conventional continuous pressure systems, whereinthe vanes are completely unbalanced on the inlet side of the device, and the deficiencies of conventional' intermittent pressure systems wherein the vanes are completely balanced during the complete rotary cycle of the device and centrifugal force alone isdepended upon to completely extend the vanes on the inlet side herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In -a rotary fluid energy translating device of the sliding vane type including low and high pressure operating passages. one of which is an inlet passage and the other an outlet passage, and a vane track: a rotor having a plurality of radial slots and rotatable within the track; a vane slidable in each-slot having a track engaging outer end surface, and an intermediate surface and an inner end surface, both of said latter two surfaces being effective under pressure for urging the vanes toward the track; a reaction member including an outer end surface radially disposed within each vane for telescopic movement relative thereto with the intermediate and outer end surfaces respectively of the vane and reaction members in opposing relation; and passage means connecting the high pressure operating passage of the device to the opposed intermediate and outer end surfaces respectively of the vanes and reaction members for aiding centrifugal force in extending the vanes and for maintaining the outer ends of the vanes in engagement with the vane track.

2. In a rotary fluid energy translating device of the sliding vane type including inlet and outlet passages and a vane track: a rotor having a plurality of radial slots and rotatable within the track; a vane slidable in each slot having a track engaging outer end surface, and an intermediate surface and an inner end surface, both of said latter two surfaces being effective under pressure for urging the vane toward the track; a reaction member having an inner and an outer end surface and radially disposed within each vane for telescopic movement relative thereto, the intermediate and the outer end surfaces respectively of each vane and reaction member being in directly opposed relation, and the inner end surface of the reaction member extending from the inner endsurface of the vane into the vane slot; and means. forming an abutment at the inner end of each vane slot for the inner end surfaces of the reaction members.

3. In a rotary fluid energy translating device of the sliding vane type including low and high pressure operating passages, one of which is an inlet passage and the other an outlet passage, and a vane track: a rotor having a plurality of radial slots and rotatable within the track; I

a vane slidable in each slot having a track engaging outer end surface and having a cutaway portion extending from the opposite end of the vane to form an inner end surface and an intermediate surface, both of said latter faces respectively of each associated vane and reaction member being in directly opposed relation; and passage means connecting the high pressure operating passage to the opposed intermediate and outer end surfaces respectively of the vanes and reaction members for aiding centrifugal force in extending the vanes and for maintaining the outer ends of the vanes in engagement with the vane track.

4. A sliding vane fluid energy translating device comprising: a housing having inlet and outlet passages, one of which is a low pressure passage and the other a high pressure passage, and a vane track; a rotor rotatably mounted within the track and forming fluid inlet and fluid outlet zones respectively connected to the fluid inlet and outlet passages; a plurality of radially sliding vanes in the rotor, each vane having an outer end surface extending from the rotor adapted to engage the track for sweeping fluid from the inlet zones to the outlet zones, and also having an intermediate surface and an inner end surface, both of said latter two surfaces being effective under pressure for urging the vane toward the track; a reaction member, including an outer end surface, radially disposed within each vane for telescopic movement relative thereto and forming an expansible chamber, two directly opposed walls of which are the intermediate vane surface and associated reaction member outer end surface; and means for connecting the high pressure passage to said chambers for imposing a force on the outer end surfaces of the reaction members, whereby a resultant force is imposed on the intermediate vane surfaces for aiding centrifugal force in extending the vanes and maintaining the outer end surface of the vanes in engagement with the track.

5. In a fluid energy translating device including high and low pressure operating passages, one of which is an inlet passage and the other an outlet passage, and a vane track: a rotor rotatably mounted within the track carrying a plurality of radially sliding vanes adapted to be extended and retracted as the rotor turns, each vane having a track engaging outer end surface upon which cyclically changing pressure is imposed, and also having an intermediate surface and an inner end surface, both of said latter two surfaces being effective under pressure to urge the vane toward the track; a reaction member, including a pressure responsive outer end surface, radially disposed within each vane for telescopic movement relative thereto with the intermediate surface and the outer end surface respectively of each vane and associated reaction member being in directly opposed relation; means for connecting the cyclically changing pressure imposed on the outer end surfaces of the vanes to the inner end surfaces of the vanes; and means connecting the high pressure passage to the outer surfaces of the reaction members, whereby a resultant reaction force is imposed on the intermediate surfaces of the vanes for aiding centrifugal force in extending the vanes and maintaining the outer surfaces thereof in engagement with the track.

6. In a fluid energy translating device including an inlet passage and an outlet passage, one of which is a high pressure passage and the other a low pressure passage, and a vane track: a rotor rotatable within the track and carrying a plurality of radially sliding vanes adapted to be extended and retracted as the rotor turns, each vane having a track engaging outer end surface upon which cyclically changing pressure is imposed, and also having an intermediate surface and an inner end surface, both of said latter two surfaces being effective under pressure for urging the vane toward the track; a reaction member, including a pressure responsive outer end surface radially disposed within each vane for telescopic movement relative thereto and forming an expansible pressure chamber, two directly opposed walls of which are the intermediate surface of the vane and the outer end surface of its associated reaction member; means for connecting the cyclically changing pressure imposed on the outer end surfaces of the vanes to the inner end surfaces of the vanes; and means connecting the high pressure passage to the pressure chambers for imposing a force on the outer surfaces of the reaction members, whereby a resultant force is imposed on the intermediate surfaces of the vanes for aiding centrifugal force in extending the vanes and maintaining the outer end surfaces thereof in engagement with the vane track.

7. In a rotary fluid energy translating device of the sliding vane type including low and high pressure operating passages, one of which is an inlet passage and the other an outlet passage, and a vane track: a rotor rotatably mounted within the track and forming fluid inlet and fluid outlet zones respectively connected to the inlet and outlet passages; a plurality of radially sliding vanes in the rotor having an outer end surface extending from the rotor adapted to engage the track for sweeping fluid from the inlet to the outlet zones and upon which surface cyclically changing pressure is imposed, said vane also having an intermediate surface and an inner end surface, both of the latter two surfaces being effective under pressure to urge the vane toward the track; a reaction member, including an outer end surface, radially disposed within each vane for telescopic movement relative thereto and forming an expansible pressure chamber, two walls of which comprise the intermediate vane surface and the reaction member outer surface in directly opposed relation; means forming a second pressure chamber in communication with the inner surfaces of the vanes; passage means for conducting the cyclically changing pressure imposed on the outer end surfaces of the vanes to one of said pressure chambers; and passage means for connecting the high pressure passage to the other of said pressure chambers.

8. In a rotary fluid energy translating device of the sliding vane type including low and high pressure operating passages, one of which is an inlet passage and the other an outlet passage, and a vane track: a rotor rotatably mounted within the track and forming fluid inlet and fluid outlet zones respectively connected to the inlet and out'et passages; a plurality of sliding vanes in the rotor each having an outer end surface extending from the rotor adapted to engage the track for sweeping fluid from the inlet to the outlet zones and upon which cyclically changing pressure is imposed, said vanes also having an intermediate surface and an inner end surface, both of said latter two surfaces being effective under pressure to urge the vane toward the track; a reaction member, including an outer end surface, radially disposed within each vane for telescopic movement relative thereto and formmg an expansible pressure chamber, two walls of which comprise the intermediate vane surface and the reaction member outer surface in directly opposed relation, said reaction member having an inner end surface extending from the inner end surface of the vane; means forming a second pressure chamber in communication with the inner surfaces of the vanes; means defining an abutment within the second pressure chamber for the inner end Surfaces of the reaction members; passage means for conducting the cyclically changing pressure imposed on the outer end surfaces of the vanes to one of said pressure chambers; and passage means for connecting the high pressure passage to the other of said pressure chambers.

9. In a fluid energy translating device having high and low pressure operating passages, one of which is an inlet passage and the other an outlet passage, a vane track, and a rotor having a plurality of substantially radial slots mounted within the track to form fluid inlet and fluid outlet zones between the periphery of the rotor and the vane track which are connected to the inlet and outlet passages of the device; a vane slidably mounted in each rotor slot adapted to be extended and retracted in the slot as the rotor turns, each vane having a track engaging outer end surface, and also having an intermediate surface and an inner end surface, both of said latter two surfaces being eifective under pressure for urging the vanes toward the track; a reaction member telescopically mounted within each vane and associated vane slot, said reaction member having a pressure responsive outer end surface in directly opposed relation to the vane intermediate surface to form an expansible pressure chamber; and passage means connecting the high pressure passage to said pressure chambers imposing a force on the outer end surface of the reaction members, whereby an equal resultant force is imposed on the intermediate vane surfaces for extending the vanes and maintaining the outer surfaces of the vanes in engagement with the vane track.

10. In a fluid energy translating device having high and low pressure operating passages, one of which is an inlet passage and the other an outlet passage, a vane track, and a rotor having a plurality of substantial'y radial slots mounted within the track to form fluid inlet and fluid outlet zones between the periphery of the rotor and the vane track which are connected to the inlet and outlet passages of the device: a vane slidably mounted in each rotor slot adapted to be extended and retracted in the slot as the rotor turns, each vane having a track engaging outer end surface exposed to cyclically changing pressure of the device, and also having an intermediate surface and an inner end surface, both of said latter two surfaces being effective under pressure for urging the vane toward the track; a reaction member, including a pressure responsive outer surface, telescopically mounted within each vane and associated vane slot and forming an expansible pressure chamber with the intermediate vane surface and outer end surface of the reaction member in directly opposed relation, said reaction member having an inner surface extending from the inner surface of its associated vane; means forming a second pressure chamber for each vane in connection with the inner end surface of the vane and defining an abutment for the inner end surface of the reaction member; passage means connecting the cyclically changing pressure imposed on the outer end surfaces of the vanes to one of the said pressure chambers; and passage means connecting the high pressure passage to the other of said pressure chambers.

11. As a new article of manufacture slidable in a rotor slot having parallel side walls, a vane and reaction member assembly comprising: a flat vane, substantially rectangular in cross section, constructed with an intermediate pressure responsive surface located between an extreme outer end surface and an inner end surface of the vane; a reaction member, including a pressure responsive outer end surface, telescopically disposed within the vane for telescopic movement relative thereto with the outer end surface in opposed relation to the intermediate vane surface, said reaction member being of such length relative to the vane that the inner end surface extends from the inner end surface of the vane and providing a space between the opposed vane and reaction member sur- 10 faces, said space opening exteriorly to at least one side of said vane.

12. As a new article of manufacture slidable in a rotor slot having parallel side Walls: a flat, substantially rectangular vane having an intermediate pressure responsive surface formed by a cutaway portion extending from an inner end surface of the vane; and a flat sided reaction member substantially of the same thickness of the vane disposed within the cutaway portion of the vane for telescopic movement relative thereto said reaction member having an outer end surface within the cutaway portion in opposing relation to the vane intermediate surface and having an inner end surface extending from the inner end surface of the vane, said reaction member outer end surface and said vane intermediate surface having an expansible chamber between said surfaces, which chamber opens exteriorly to at least one side of said vane.

13. As a new article of manufacture for use within a vane track of a fluid energy translating device: a rotor having a plurality of substantially radial slots with parallel side walls extending from the periphery of the rotor, and having enlarged pressure chambers found at the inner ends of the slots; a flat, substantially rectangular vane slidable in each slot, each vane having a track engaging outer end surface, an intermediate pressure responsive surface formed by a cutaway portion extending from an inner end surface of the vane located at the pressure chamber end of the slot; a flat, substantially rectangular reaction member disposed within the cutaway portion of each vane for telescopic movement relative thereto, each reaction member having an outer end surface within the cutaway portion opposed to and spaced apart from the intermediate vane surface to form an expansible chamber between the surfaces, which chamber opens exteriorly to at least one side of said vane, and said reaction member also having an inner end surface extending from the inner end surface of the vane, the wall of the pressure chamber forming an abutment for the inner end surface of the reaction member; and a separate passage for each vane slot extending from the periphery of the rotor to the pressure chambers of the vane slots.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 963,690 Curtis July 5, 1910 1,896,256 Spencer Feb. 7, 1933 2,170,786 McElroy et al Aug. 22, 1939 2,473,309 Stephens June 14, 1949 2,544,988 Gardiner et al Mar. 13, 1951 2,696,790 Crow Dec. 14, 1954 2,705,459 Dunning Apr. 5, 1955 2,787,959 Jeannin et a1 Apr. 9, 1957 r 2,820,417 Adams et al Jan. 21, 1958 2,832,293 Adams et a1. Apr. 29, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 433,488 Great Britain Aug. 15, 1935 830,460 Germany Feb. 4, 1952 

